Register 1 July, 2018 | Submit 13 July, 2018 | Architecture Competition
The Sukkah Project
Dwell in Design
BRIEF
A Sukkah is a temporary structure constructed for annual use during the week long Jewish festival of Sukkot. The original source for this tradition is Leviticus 23:42-43, where it is described as a reminder of the booths that the children of Israel dwelt in during their journey through the desert from slavery in Egypt to freedom. In modern times the sukkah is a symbol of frailty and transience of life and shelter.
While building a Sukkah is an annual Jewish ritual, it embodies many universal themes related to the nature of dwelling: new/old, open/closed, temporary/permanent. The challenge of this two-stage competition is to explore what a contemporary Sukkah can be—reflecting ancient teachings while exhibiting a concept of space and place which is both modern and rooted.
The Competition:
The Sukkah Project: Dwell in Design is a design competition to which local and national architects, artists and builders will be invited to submit their most creative and exciting sukkah designs.Ten to twelve Finalists will be will be selected to receive a $1,800 construction stipend and will be tasked with building a life size, modern, artistic sukkah to be displayed at the Dallas Museum of Biblical Art during the weeklong festival. From among these finalists, a panel of expert judges will select the winner of a cash prize, to be announced during the feature event to be held on Sunday, September 23rd, 2018.
The selected sukkahs will be erected outside, on the grassy area on the north of the museum’s property. Entries should be designed and partially pre-assembled to allow final installation and later removal within limited available times.
The Texas Jewish Arts Association (TJAA) envisions The Sukkah Project: Dwell in Design as both an innovative design competition and an outreach opportunity for the Jewish community to connect with the greater Dallas/Fort Worth population. The overarching goal is the promotion of the importance of a safe refuge against the elements and a reminder to us of those in our cities who are homeless or under-housed; dislocated and estranged, and the need of those individuals to establish homes of their own. For this reason, TJAA has partnered with Habitat for Humanity and Jewish Family Services as beneficiaries of funds raised during the event.
Selection Process
After the finalists have finished building their designs, the jury will select a winner based on aesthetics and an evaluation of each entrant’s development of a creative application of the ancient requirements for the sukkah.
Entries should challenge the conventional notion of a sukkah while effectively embodying the traditional aspects of the building type. Finalists will be selected on the basis of:
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Creativity and clarity of the design concept
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Efficiency and effectiveness of the project’s execution
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Response to design parameters established by the ancient texts
SCHEDULE
April 13, 2018 – Pre-announcement
May 11 2018 – Formal Call for Entries
July 1, 2018 – Registration Deadline
July 13, 2018 – Submission Deadline
August 17, 2018 – Finalists Announced
August 17 – September 19, 2018 – Off-Site Construction
September 20, 2018 – Build Date
September 23, 2018 – Opening Event
September 21 – September 27, 2018 – Public Display
September 28, 2018 – Takedown
AWARDS
Best in Show: $1,800
People’s Choice Award: $500
Merit Awards may be designated at the discretion of the jury.
FEES
Entry fee: $55 per entry
JURY
Gregory S. Ibañez, FAIA: Principal, Ibañez Shaw Architecture
Max Levvy, FAIA
Mark Lamster: Professor, Architecture school at UTA
Gary Cunningham, FAIA
Enrique Norten, HON. FAIA
WEBSITE
https://www.thesukkahproject.org/competition-brief
